It's not a promise, It's a GUARANTEE...

This is the tag line that caught my eye. Duri Cosmetics created a nail strenghing product that is supposed to work wonders.

On the side on the box they state "Rejuvacote the nail doctor will heal and cure your split, cracked and acrylic eaten nails. In a matter of weeks you will enjoy the look and fell of strong, vital, natural nails. It's not a promise, It's a guarantee."

I'll be honest my nails are trashed. I work at a nail salon and my nails have been through the ringer. I try every new product that we get into the store. I'll admit I have eaten off acrylics, picked at gels, and have re-polished my nails more times in one day than I can count. So needless to say, I'm not shocked that my nails look like crap.

This leads me to why I am suddenly so interested in this product. It is a very popular product at Sundrops. We order them, and they FLY out of the store. Clients swear by it. So now I will be taking it for a test drive of my own. Not only do clients swear by it, Duri guarantee's it, Allure Magazine has backed it as one of the best products, and this past spring InStyle Magazine named Duri Rejuvacote in their Best Beauty Buys 2009. This must be good!

I am committing to this product for one month. I am hoping that by the end of one month the damaged parts of my nail have grown out and my nails do gain some strength.

Here is my Regime-

Day 1: Apply Rejuvacote as a base, polish with desired nail color, and use Rejuvacote as a top coat.

Daily: Apply Rejuvacote nightly

Day 7: Remove and apply every other day depending on improvement.

Here are some pictures of my dying nails. As you can see, the free edge of my nails are really damaged (the white part of your nail). These pictures are really forgiving.

I will update pictures on a weekly basis so you can see the improvements for yourself.

Halloween

Halloween is a fun day for us at Sundrops. This year we had an employee costume contest. Clients voted for their favorite costume and Kelly was our big winner.

She dressed as her co-worker Connie. It was pretty amazing the transformation she did on herself. Many people were shocked to say the least. Many times throughout the day I was fooled by the Connie look alike.

The pictures from the day are posted below.

Pictured above L-R: Melissa (dressed as Marilyn Monroe) and Erin (dressed as Ugly Betty)

Pictured above L-R: Katherine (dressed as a zombie), Kelly ( dressed as Connie), Connie (dressed as a pumpkin), and Pam (dressed as a doctor) Is it not freaky how much they look alike?

Pictured above L-R: Stephanie (dressed as a flower child), Melissa, and Carissa (dressed as a Pink Lady)

Pictured above L-R: Cande (dressed as Raggedy Ann) and Stephanie

The only person I didn't have a picture of was Senthia, she was dressed as a hippie.

Beauty Recycling Program

Sundrops Nail Spot is proud to introduce our Beauty Recycling Program

Green has never been so chic! Our new Beauty Recycling Program will help you stay looking great while helping the environment. Here’s how it works, you bring in your empty container of scrub, body butter, or body wash and we will refill them with our featured scent. Each month we will feature different products ranging from hand to foot care. These featured products will be available to purchase per ounce when you bring in your empty container. So what are you waiting for? Join Sundrops Nail Spot’s Beauty Recycling Program and let’s beautify our plant and ourselves.

Let's Review:

1. Bring in your empty scrub,lotion, or body wash container

2. Sundrops staff fills it up with a deliciously scented lotion, scrub, or body wash

3. Pay for the product by ounce

4. Leave happy and helping the enviornoment

Spooky Movie Night

Yesterday, we hosted our movie night (a la Jamiee Rose). Guests enjoyed treats and the classic movie Bride of Frankenstein while getting their hands and toes done. Below are some pictures from yesterday. Join us Sunday, October 25th for our last showing.

Above: Treats above, popcorn balls, candy bars, and coca-cola in the bottles. All classic treats to compliment the movie.

Above: Erin and Senthia setting up.

Above: A close-up of our cute admission tickets we made on the computer and tied with ribbon to the candy.

Such a fun night and we look forward to seeing you on the 25th!

Sweet Time of The Year

I was cruising through the latest Lucky issue and got a glimpse of the Essie Winter 2009 collection. Sweet Time of The Year is a small collection of only three colors. Lollipop (candy colored red), Rock Candy (soft pink), and Mint Candy Apple (minty green).

I am really ecstatic to see the minty green. I was so sad to see Greenport discontinued especially with the love of jade colored nails continuing into the Fall and Winter. The collection will be launching in store November 1st.

photos courtesy of http://www.body-soulbeauty.com

Do You Believe in Magic?

My sister and I are always searching for great skin products. So I was ecstatic when she called me at work, telling me she found a great cream. Egyptian Magic. I thought to myself hmm, it is called Egyptian Magic? It sounded hookey and weird. So as soon as I got off the phone I began my research. I entered Egyptian Magic into the search engine and hundreds of reviews came up.

Now I am thinking to myself, why have I never heard of this cream? It is sold at Whole Foods and other retailers that I frequent. It has been featured on The View, Vanity Fair magazine, US, People, the list goes on and on. So now I am obsessed and I haven't even tried it. My sister was so kind to purchase a jar for myself ($36) and literally all I could think of was getting home washing my face and trying the cream for the first time.

The first night was great. The cream is more like a petroleum jelly. It is rock hard in the jar and then you have to warm it up in your hands by rubbing your fingers together. At that point it just melts almost into an oil. It is 100% natural and can be used all over the body.

It has been almost a week now and I really like it. My skin in the morning is dewier and I feel like my skin looks a bit brighter. I have rubbed it on my elbows, which worked wonders and my dry spots on my feet. It really softened calluses on my heels and toes. All in all I would definitely recommend it. Try it, if not for the face for the body, especially the feet.

Autumn Begins

September 22, 2009 marks the first day of the Autumn season and the fall equinox. An equinox only occurs twice a year with sunlight and night being equal parts. Today is a day of perfect balance. So with the beginning of a new season, I bring you my favorite things of Autumn.

1. Halloween decorating. With the new season brings fall holidays, my favorite Halloween. Martha Stewart never disappoints with her holiday decor. I thought this looked like a great project for this Halloween. Seems simple, I'll let you know.

2. Hot Cocoa. It seems like the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice latte is on every one's fall list this year. Don't get me wrong it is delicious, but fall is not fall without some great hot cocoa. Williams Sonoma has a great recipe called Old-Fashioned Hot Cocoa. It is so good and as you can see by the recipe below it is intended for a child to make, so you know it is kid approved. Also, I suggest the whipped cream topping.

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mini marshmallows or whipped cream for serving

Directions:
-Warm the milk. Before you start, be sure an adult is nearby to help.

-In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk until tiny bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat.

-Blend the cocoa

-Put the cocoa, sugar and vanilla in a mug and stir to combine. Add 1 tablespoon of the hot milk to the cocoa mixture and stir until it is smooth with no visible lumps.

-Pour the remaining hot milk into the mug.

-Stir well, top with the marshmallows or whipped cream, and serve immediately. Serves 1. Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Sweet Treats, by Carolyn Beth Weil (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

3. Cozy Blankets. The change of weather equals some great snuggle time on the couch. I found this perfect snugly blanket from Pottery Barn. The Sweater Knit throw. A sweater and a blanket rolled into one? What sounds more perfect?

4. Fall Shoes. There are some amazing shoes this season. What I love best about fall shoes are boots. I particularly love the riding boot look. I found some Frye boots that are gorgeous (and waaayyy out of my price range). They would be the perfect addition to any fall wardrobe and the Bordeaux color is beautiful. Nordstrom online has a great lookbook on Frye boots, check it out; if only to dream.

5. Change of weather. For many Phoenicians the fall means 80 degree days and chilly nights. For me, the change of weather means being outside. Enjoying my backyard again, drinking coffee in the morning on my patio and hitting the mountain trails. My favorite trail is the summit at Piestewa Peak. It is the best work out and the best view. Try it, if you haven't. It very difficult but very rewarding.

I wish you all a wonderful new season full of balance and new challenges. What are your favorite things to do for Autumn?

Anniversary

September 14, 2009 marked our second year anniversary. It is mind blowing to me that one crazy thought sparked a new career path in my life. The two years has definitely flown by and challenged me in ways I never thought possible. There are days when I wanted to walk away and cry and then there are days when I just wanted to jump for joy.

I am happy to have created something that other people enjoy and feel good when they leave Sundrops. It is rewarding when I am out to dinner and hear the next table talking about the cutest pedicure place. It makes me smile to give 10 people jobs in a struggling economy. The best part is having a staff who put their heart and soul into making this the best place. Thanks to everyone who have supported us, gave us incredible feedback, and gave us a second chance. Cheers to two years!

August Nights

August means the start of Fall for many people across the country. For us it means 100 degrees instead of 114 degrees (hopefully). We have put together a few looks for that back to school shopping itch.

Look 1: Hanging poolside

Fish and Archer headband $60.00, we show the handmade piece as a necklace but it can be worn in the hair or draped over the wrist. Colcci Tunic $75.00, this tunic is a transitional piece. Wear it in the summer with shorts and transition to the Fall with skinny jeans and boots.

Look 2: Errand Running

The dreaded errand running. I am always in a pickle of what to wear to run errands, what if I see someone and I am dressed in Juicy pants and a tank? I never want to seem over dressed but always want to be in that cool in between, "Oh, this? Just something I found in the back of my closet." This Colcci denim dress $122.00, does just that. Accessories small tri-color circle necklace, $32.00. Long necklace $120.00

Look 3: Casual Friday

Most offices in AZ observe summer hours. This ensemble is the perfect look for those casual Fridays followed by drinks at The Vig. Splendid Lilac Halter dress, $77.50. MK2K Cardigan, $68.40. Nolan LA Gemstone necklace, $52.00

Look 4: Weekend Dinner

This Amanda Uprichard dress, $124.60 makes dressing for dinner easy. The fuchsia color is so striking and the ruffles add a simple texture to the dress. Pair this dress with gold sandals or a nude pump. The accessories: "Cartier" Long necklace, $80.00 and "Yurman" small necklace $21.60.

Sundrops Profile

Erin Young, is one of the many friendly faces at Sundrops Nail Spot. Erin is our receptionist and Boutique assistant. We asked Erin a few questions about herself, so you can get to know her better.

What is your favorite treatment at Sundrops?

I love the Island Indulgence pedicure. The smell is amazing!

What is your ultimate insider beauty tip or secret?

In this dry climate my feet tend to get dry. I rub Vaseline on my feet nightly and wrap them in socks. I wake up to soft feet.

What is your favorite clothing line?

I really like Theory and Splendid. Theory for the tailored look and Splendid for the soft t-shirts. I love anything comfortable and trendy. Another favorite of mine is American Apparel.

What is your go-to nail polish color?

I typically like to experiment with my nail color. So I don't particularly have a favorite color, my favorite collection is the Essie Neon .

What inspires you?

Trying new things and meeting new people.

What question do you get asked all the time?

Is that your real eye color?

Matte About You!

So we are mad about Essie's new Matte About You top coat. It is the best invention! We are also obsessed with polishing our hands two-toned. Above are two example of using two colors and the matte top coat. On the left is OPI: I do, I do! and Black Onyx (with the matte finish) and on the right is Essie: Bachelorette Bash (the fuchsia) and Shorty Pants (with the matte finish).

Pick up a bottle and start experimenting with the newest trend. It is the best fun we have had at work in awhile. Happy polishing!

FYI: the green and white nails...Essie Sag Harbor with OPI Alpine Snow (matte finish)

Espana

The OPI Fall collection, Espana launches in salons in August.

Here is a sneak peak at the beautiful collection.

Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees, Here Today… Aragon Tomorrow, Manicurist of Seville.Pamplona Purple, Conquistadorable Color, Bullish on OPI

Barefoot in Barcelona, Can You Tapas This? Give Me Moor!Pink Flamenco, No Spain No Gain, Ate Berries in the Canaries

The hunter green color looks so nice, I am very curious how it will look on my hands. I also spoke with Essie and they are producing another green for the Fall as well. I will keep you posted.

Fairytale Dreams

Although this collection came out in March 2009. I am just rediscovering it. It is such a beautiful collection of soft OPI shades. I am wearing At First Sight on my nails and I have gotten so many compliments. It is a beautiful milky white with a gold tint. So pretty. Try the other colors: I Pink I Love You, Otherwise Engaged, Isn't It Romantic?, and of course my personal fave, At First Sight. You can view all the colors at OPI.com

Healthy Hands in 5 Steps

(After our segment aired on Channel 3 about healthy hands we have been getting a slew of phone calls. )

As everyone knows hands do tell your true age. So try these tips today to stop age spots and discoloration for tomorrow.

1. Exfoliate. Exfoliate your hands and cuticles at least once a week. We always remember our face and body, why do we forget our hands? Try using a sugar scrub instead of a salt scrub. The granules are less abrasive. I personally love Lalicious sugar scrub. They come in a variety of scents that smell fantastic.

2. Hydrate. Moisturize your hands often, especially after hand washing. Keeping your hands hydrated will leave the skin looking subtle and fresh. Dry hands make your hands look old. Try a body butter that has Shea butter as an ingredient.

3. Moisturize. It is important to moisturize your cuticles. Use an oil nightly or try the Essie Cuticle pen. It is great for on the go and very convenient since it is in the form of a pen.

4. SPF. Always apply a SPF lotion to your body and your hands. There is a misconseption that your hands don't get that much direct sun exposure but they do. Think about when your hands are on your steering wheel for an hour. That is a lot of sun and that will be a lot of sun spots.

5. Go Bare. Take your nail polish off after 7 days. Chipped and dull nails never make hands look younger.

Flag Day

Tomorrow I will be by the bar-b-que enjoying good company and food. Celebrate Amercia the beautiful with these great songs.

Estelle, American Boy

Elton John, Philadelphia Freedom

Neil Diamond, America

LeAnn Rimes, God Bless America

Don McLean, American Pie

David Bowie, Young Americans

Beach Boys, California Girls

John Cougar Mellencamp, Pink Houses

Tom Petty, American Girl

Ray Charles, America the Beautiful

Enjoy and have a lovely weekend.

Trend Alert: Matte Polish

KO (Knock Out Cosmetics) is the creation of make-up artist Mike Potter. Potter and team have created a one of a kind nail polish line. Their line has graced the covers of InStyle, Allure, and Nylon mag (just to name a few). In short the new nail trend is matte. No Shine.

It is something I have grown to love, it is edgy yet art deco and very rock and roll. To see the complete line and press visit their website at www.koknockout.com. Try the look out for yourself and let us know your thoughts.

Food and Science

I subscribe to many blogs and one of my favorites is Dieline, a graphic design blog. One of there many posts for the day involved a new product that is much to weird, I had to share. Le Whif, is a new product that combines science and food. Think chocolate in an aerosol can and voila you have Le Whif. The makers of the product are calling it, "Chocolate without the calories." Umm part of the guilty fun of splurging on chocolate is the calories. I really don't think it would be as satisfiying to eat chocolate by inhaling it. Just our random thoughts....

Visionary

I have rediscovered an old product that I had hidden away in my linen cabinet. SpaRitual makes an incredible product called Visionary Cleanser, it is a disinfectant that can be used anywhere. It was developed for nail services to sanitize hands before a service but you can literally spray where ever needed.

So upon my discovery I went crazy. I sprayed my phones, my yoga mat, door handles, anything really that could be sprayed, I sprayed! I now have brought it to work. It smells lovely and it ia Eco-friendly. It is simply fabulous.

Shade your hair this summer

Summertime isn't the only time for us zonies to think about sun protection, the suns rays are an everyday occurrence for us. Everyone talks about slathering sunscreen on your hands and face; body if you will be outside longer than 20 minutes. It seems that we have forgotten about our head!

MoniMay is a new hair product line on the market. I am a personal fan of the translucent SPF 15 powder. Think talcum powder with added SPF. It is amazing! They also offer colored powders for roots when you are "in-between" dye jobs. Not only is it SPF but it also soaks up an oily scalp and offers an inexpensive alternative between color sessions. Why didn't anyone think of this earlier? To order product check their site www.monimay.com

TWITTER

We have just joined Twitter (still trying to figure it out, though). Follow us for fabulous specials, crazy thoughts, and store updates. So check out our tweets at http://twitter.com/SundrpsNailSpot

What would summer be without sandals? Especially flip flops. I seem to wear out a pair each summer and then find myself on hands and knees at Old Navy combing the racks to find my size (yes, I am a size 10). Not this summer! I have fallen in love with these new and amazing flip flops, Planet Flops

Not only are they Eco-friendly but they are the softest flip flop I have ever put on my foot. They are made from 100% natural (key word) Brazilian rubber. Most companies use synthetic rubber, which creates that hard feeling. Just come into Sundrops and try them out, your heart will melt. Promise.

What a Pairing

OPI and Paige Premium Denium have teamed up this summer for a fantastic color combination. The new Bright collection includes colors like In My Back Pocket, which is an unbelieveable orange, No Room for the Blues, and Over the Taupe (which looks like a newer and better, You don't know Jacques!)

The best part, the nail colors offered match the new Paige colored denim line. Purchase your summer colors at Sundrops and find the Paige denim online.

The color lineup-

No room for the Blues-bright blue

On the Same Paige-coral red

Over the Taupe-mushroom taupe

Shorts Story-fuchsia pink

A Grape Fit!-lavender

In My Back Pocket-bright orange

picture courtesy of OPI

Buckle Up, Gladiator Style!

As summer quickly approaches, we are seeing one of my favorite trends emerge yet again this season, gladiator sandals! This trend is now a staple item for everyone’s closet. Perfect for slipping on with jeans, skirts, dresses, and shorts, gladiators come in a variety of colors and styles ideal for any outfit. Check out these styles by Matt Berson as seen on Lindsay Lohan, Courtney Cox, Sarah Jessica Parker, and many more. We now have these available in our boutique!

Phoenix Picks Features Sundrops Nail Spot

There is an ahhmazing new subscription site called Phoenix Picks. They send out e-blasts every other friday to your inbox. They feature cool finds in Phoenix, such as restaurants, shopping, and events. On May 1st Sundrops Nail Spot was featured on their well written site. Check out our write-up and add yourself to their mailing list and get in the know about Phoenix.

http://www.phoenixpicks.com/

Low and Behold Chanel Sports Green

During my routine reading of the New York Times Fashion pages, I came across pictures of Chanel's Fall 2009 collection. Low and behold Chanel is sporting green nail polish. Yes, when the Queen of Fashion decides that green will be the new "it" color we all must listen and follow.

Don't fret you don't have to wait until Fall to sport that color yourself. Luckily Essie came out with a new small collection just recently called The North Fork Collection. In the collection they offer the most beautiful green called GreenPort ( I found a pretty accurate picture of the color courtesy of alllaqueredup.com) This is a limited collection so if you love it then purchase it; because when it is gone it is gone. We also sell it at Sundrops. Hip Hip Hooray!

Be Marry.

Wedding season has officially arrived. We have seen an increase in bridal groups visiting our store and we get to hear all the great details of their big day. With that in mind we have decided to share some great and creative details.

To begin we thought we would start with the most important element a wedding coordinator. Our fav is Victoria Canada Weddings and events. Not only do we get to pamper her feet at Sundrops, but our owner Stephanie worked closely with her only a few short months ago. Victoria's motto: Do it Big, Do it Right, and Do it in style sums up the great team at Bright event gallery.

Victoria, Kelly, and Katie get raving reviews not only from our boss but from several brides we speak to daily in Sundrops. What they all say, "we never could have done it (and survived)without them." They put together AhhhMAZING events. Their creativity and hard work make the most beautiful events. Check them out at http://www.abrightevent.com/

Our next topic, Bridesmaids gifts. With the bridesmaids day comes bridesmaids gifts. We will share with you the best gifts and most creative we have seen. For formal gifting, a beautiful pashmina and pearl earrings. So classic and soo Breakfast At Tiffany's. For the informal gifting, bridal collection nail polish. With names like True Love, Blushing Bride, and Happily Ever After, these colors are timeless and what a perfect way to suddenly tell the ladies that these are the colors they will be using. The most creative gift idea we have seen...was a personalized make-up bag for each bridesmaid. The kit included make-up to match each skin tone that each woman could use on the day of for touch-ups. So great and so cute!

Our final bit of wedding advise, nail polish for the big day. The day before your wedding is a stressful day and getting your mani and pedi should not be stressful. Something as simple as nail polish has brought brides to tears at Sundrops. We have a few pointers for all you brides out there.

1. Purchase the polish. Having your color with you will save you stress on your wedding day if the color happens to chip.

2. Ivory dresses (i.e. Monique Ihullier). You don't have to wear an ivory color on your nails. It makes your hands look older. Choose a sheer pink like Mademoiselle or Hi Maintence by Essie. They work with every skin tone and look lovely in pictures.

3. Classic white dresses. Frosted pink nail polishes look great against a bright white dress. It sounds very 80's but it looks rich and glossy in professional photographs. Choose something like Pistol Packin' Pink by OPI

Earth Day

I went to Trader Joe's over the weekend and I felt like an outsider. I got up to the checkout and the clerk looked into my basket for my reuseable shopping bags. I was panicked, I quickly panned the check out stations and realized I was the only one without a reuseable sack. Men and women alike all were in the know about this. The thing is I am very earth friendly, I recycle, I never leave the water running while brushing my teeth, and I always turn off the lights when I leave a room. I am not wasteful!

So when I got home I started looking around at what I have, I have SEVERAL totes but none that can squish up and just be in my car on a sporatic shopping trip. I started googling and I found these adorable totes in the best colors. Baggu, where were you the other day? So in lieu of Earth day check out these great bags and consider keeping them in your car. If we all just purchase one we will be lightening our footprint. Go EARTH!

Find the whole collection at www.baggubag.com

One for All, and All for One: The Jumpsuit

The Phoenix Art Museum currently has an exhibit that spotlights the jumpsuit. I know, I know it sounds strange, but if you think about it the jumpsuit has a definite place in history, as well as fashion.

From Elvis to Michael Phelps the jumpsuit has many forms and this exhibit highlights them all. If you are like me and love the history of fashion, then you can’t miss this exhibit. It will take you on a wonderful exploration of the jumpsuit from the early 20th century to today. Some of the amazing pieces you will see are Levis mechanics coveralls from the 1920’s, a WWII “Rosie the Riveter” uniform, and designs from Yves Saint Laurent and Stella McCartney.

Time is running out to catch this fabulous exhibit; it runs through February 1, 2009. So all you history loving fashionistas ditch the mall one afternoon and delight in a bit of culture at the Phoenix Art Museum.

We have included a link for all the information you need about seeing this exhibit. Have fun!

http://www.phxart.org/exhibition/exhibitionjumpsuit.aspx